Where does “thought” come from?

thought (Middle English) comes from Old English þōht, from Proto-Germanic þanhtaz, from Proto-Germanic þankijaną, from Proto-Indo-European teng- — to think.

thought (Middle English): product of mental activity

Definitions

  1. product of mental activity

Ancestry of “thought”, step by step

thought traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English þōht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishþōhtthought
2Proto-Germanicþanhtazthought, idea
3Proto-Germanicþankijanąto perceive, to think
4Proto-Indo-Europeanteng-to think

via Middle English though

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishthough—
2Old Englishþēahthough, although, even if, that, however,...

Words derived from “thought”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European teng- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þankijaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic þanhtaz →